City's annual Fall Fest scheduled Oct. 13

Upper Arlington Parks and Recreation officials will help the community celebrate the changing seasons Oct. 13 with an annual festival in Fancyburg Park.

NATE ELLIS, ThisWeek Community News

Upper Arlington Parks and Recreation officials will help the community celebrate the changing seasons Oct. 13 with an annual festival in Fancyburg Park.

A chili cook-off, hayrides and apple cider pressed the old-fashioned way will be among the activities featured at the eighth annual Upper Arlington Fall Fest.

The event is sponsored by the city's parks and rec department and is free to the community. Hours are from 1 to 5 p.m. at Fancyburg, 4475 Kioka Ave.

"We do Fall Fest because it's kind of our way of giving back to the community and saying, 'Thanks for supporting us' all year long," said Cheryl Hyatt, UA Parks & Rec program assistant. "We also do it because we use it as a way to advertise our fall and winter programming."

Hyatt said the festival marks the end of summer programming, which includes the Oct. 9 conclusion of the weekly UA Farmers Market held from 3 to 6 p.m. at the Upper Arlington Senior Center, 1945 Ridgeview Road.

Visitors to Fall Fest can get into the mood of autumn and also learn more about parks and rec programming ahead of the December delivery of the city's winter activity guide.

At the festival, visitors can carve pumpkins, have their faces painted, enjoy inflatable games, make scarecrows, or enjoy a caramel apple or apple cider.

"I like to think of it as a kind of down-home, old-fashioned thing," Hyatt said.

This year, Hyatt said, activities will include a Hippity-Hop Corral, where children can bounce on farm animal-themed inflatables within a corral enclosed by straw bales.

There also will be a shelled corn pit, which Hyatt said is one of the event's biggest draws for children.

Sponsored by the locally owned Huffman's Market, the contest challenges those in the community to put their best chili recipes to test before a "celebrity" panel of judges.

"They make their chili in a Crock-Pot and bring it to the festival," Hyatt said. "We have judges select the best chili, and we ask (entrants) to bring at least a gallon of their chili so people from the public can sample it."

Those planning to enter the chili cook-off are asked to register by Oct. 11. They can do so at uaoh.net by clicking the "I Want To" link on the website's homepage.

Hyatt said the C.C. Angels, a double-Dutch jump rope group, and live music also will be featured at the festival.

Additional information is available on the city's website or by calling the parks and rec department at 614-583-5300.

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